Eli Drinkwitz interrupts Kalen DeBoer press conference, asks about 'black hoodie of death'

The coaches around the SEC are in the middle of their week, preparing for a very important slate of weekend games. That meant it was also time for the midweek SEC Teleconference. There, Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz had some fun with this weekend’s opponent, Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Drinkwitz had his press conference immediately before DeBoer’s. Knowing this, he jokingly asked if he could ask a quick question about something that’s been bothering him. He wants to know if DeBoer plans on wearing his black hoodie.

“Can I ask Kalen the first question, or is that inappropriate?” Eli Drinkwitz asked. “Because I just want to know if he’s gonna wear that black hoodie or not. I call it the hoodie of death.”

It wasn’t just a fashion question. DeBoer’s black hoodie has become iconic. That’s because in his light-weight black hoodie that simply reads “Alabama,” the Crimson Tide are now 12-2. So, Drinkwitz wanted to make sure that the Crimson Tide’s head coach wasn’t bringing a good luck charm.

Ultimately, Drinkwitz wouldn’t get the first question. Instead, he stuck around on the call for the second question that DeBoer took. Drinkwitz jokingly asked, “Hey, Kalen. Are you going to wear the black hoodie of death on the sideline this game? With us wearing black jerseys.”

For his part, DeBoer seemed a bit surprised to even be getting a question from the Missouri head coach. Certainly, it took him a moment to collect his thoughts while he laughed at the question. The bad news for Drinkwitz, while DeBoer wouldn’t commit to the hoodie, he did imply he was planning on it.

“Oh, Coach Drink,” Kalen DeBoer laughed. “I’ve got to fit in somehow. More than likely. We’ll see what the forecast is. I kind of know, but yeah, I’m expecting that. It’s got its own life of its own right now. So, we’re rolling with it.”

Last season, Kalen DeBoer wore a cutoff version of the black hoodie that he has when Alabama hosted Missouri. That turned out to be a 34-0 win. So, Eli Drinkwitz has already had experience with the hoodie. Now, he needs to find a way to overcome it.

“That’s the only question I needed to find out for the day. Alright,” Drinkwitz said before jumping off the call. Certainly, if Drinkwitz is superstitious at all, he had plenty more to get ready for and think about in the lead-up to a massive game.

It maybe shouldn’t be a surprise that Alabama fans are becoming suspicious about the black hoodie. After all, he’s worn it in all but one game this season. That one game he skipped it was the Week 1 loss to Florida State.

Kalen DeBoer addresses the lore of him wearing a black hoodie in wins

One thing that Kalen DeBoer has been a bit surprising to Kalen DeBoer is the lore that’s grown from his hoodie. At the same time, he does appreciate a good superstition born out of seemingly something so trivial.

“It’s funny how something you’ve done for so long all of a sudden becomes a thing now. And I’m good in whatever, but that’s what I’ve been comfortable in for years,” DeBoer said on Bussin’ With The Boys.

“So they’re just making it even more comfortable. It does get washed, I promise you that. There’s been a couple of hot games the last couple of weeks. But yeah, it’s funny that’s taken (on) a little bit of a life (of its own) there. The guys in my family, my daughters, they see it all and they’re even putting the pressure on me like, ‘Coach, you can’t let us down.’ So I didn’t mean for it to be that way, it was just kind of what I was comfortable (wearing) over the years, but it’s kind of taken on a life of its own crazy enough.”

Alabama travels to Missouri for one of the biggest SEC games to this point of the season on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EST or 11:00 a.m. CST.